As it happened: Olympics opening ceremony - London 2012 Olympic Games (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) As it happened: Olympics opening ceremony Updated July 29, 2012 14:22:45 Sorry, this video has expired Map: England London has opened the 2012 Olympic Games with a glittering opening ceremony watched by over one billion people worldwide. Directed by Oscar-winning film-maker Danny Boyle, the fireworks-laden extravaganza featured over 10,000 performers and took place in front of a crowd of 80,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium. We brought you all the action as it happened (all times AEST): 9:45am: Sir Paul stands up and moves to the front of the stage to involve the audience, before closing his performance by shouting "Welcome to London!" A fitting ending to a truly spectacular opening ceremony. 9:38am: Sir Paul McCartney now appears on stage and the Olympic bell rings out before he begins to perform Hey Jude. 9:36am: The flame is used to light dozens of torches which rise up to form one, the flame of unity, and thus the Olympic cauldron.

So it was the six young athletes who lit the cauldron, not a 'name'. An interesting, if not tad underwhelming, decision. That sets off a fireworks display which lights up London as Pink Floyd plays in the background. A montage of great Olympics moments plays on the video screen. Photo: The stems of the Olympic flame come together to form one, lighting the cauldron. (Reuters: Dylan Martinez) 9:30am: Redgrave passes the Olympic torch onto six young athletes who represent the future of Great Britain at the Olympic Games. Each of them was nominated by some of the greatest sports stars to come out of the United Kingdom. 9:28am: After travelling 20,600 kilometres, the Olympic torch is carried into the stadium by Sir Steve Redgrave, who brings it through an honour guard of 500 men and women who built the Olympic Park. Photo: Former Olympic rower and winner of five gold medals, Steve Redgrave, carries the flame into the stadium.

(Reuters/Pool) 9:26am: Beijing taekwondo medallist Sarah Stevenson rises up onto the stadium on a platform to read the Olympic oath, where she pledges on behalf of all athletes to perform in the best of spirits and free of drugs. 9:25am: We now see English football superstar David Beckham escorting the Olympic flame up the River Thames on board a speed boat. He passes it onto rower Sir Steve Redgrave, who remarkably won gold medals at five consecutive Olympics. Photo: David Beckham heads down the Thames in a speedboat, carrying the Olympic flame. (Reuters: Eddie Keogh) 9:17am: IOC president Jacques Rogge invites Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, to open the 2012 London Olympics. She does so with a short speech, followed by fireworks. Eight bearers, including Ethiopian long distance champion Haile Gebrselassie, carry the Olympic flag into the stadium. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali watches on. 9:12am: IOC president Jacques Rogge now addresses the crowd, saying he hopes the Games will leave a long and lasting legacy well after the opening ceremony. He thanks the volunteers for their generous time in bringing the Games together.

Opening ceremony in numbers Cows: 3 Source: AFP He also points out that for the first time in Olympic history, all of the participating nations will feature female athletes. He also spoke of Britain's long, long history of sport before addressing the athletes: "Your talent, your dedication and commitment brought you here. "Now you have a chance to become true Olympians. "That honour is determined not by whether you win, but how you compete." 9:07am: Lord Sebastian Coe, chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, is now introduced alongside IOC president Jacques Rogge to address the crowd: "Welcome to London, welcome to the 2012 Olympic Games, welcome from everyone of us. I have never been so proud to be British, and to be part of the Olympic movement. "The Olympic Games bring together the people of the world in harmony and friendship and peace to celebrate what is best about man kind. "London 2012 will inspire a generation. "This is our time. "One day we will tell our children and our grandchildren that when our time came, we did it right.

"Let us determine, all of us, all over the world, that London 2012 will see the very best of us." 9:03am: Now the Arctic Monkeys are performing John Lennon and Paul McCartney's classic Come Together. 9:00am: The Arctic Monkeys are on stage performing I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor. 8:55am: Nation #205 - last but not least - Great Britain! Celebrated four-time gold medal winning track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy leads them out to the strains of We Can Be Heroes as a helicopter drops 7 billion of tiny pieces of paper over the stadium - one to represent each person on the planet. The roar from the crowd is deafening. Photo: Track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy leads the Great Britain team into the Olympic Stadium. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney) 8:49am: The huge United States contingent enters the building, wearing outfits by Ralph Lauren complete with berets. They lead all nations in the Olympics with 931 gold. Fencer Mariel Zagunis is carrying the stars and stripes. 8:44am: Here's another snap of the Aussies from the AOC.

Nearby Timor has just entered the stadium, represented by six athletes. 8:37am: Here's South Africa, with controversial middle distance runner Caster Semenya bearing the flag. 8:34am: Sticking with the tennis theme, five-times grand slam winner Novak Djokovic leads out the Serbian team. Djokovic wept on the podium when he claimed bronze in Beijing four years ago with victory over American James Blake. Earlier, Saudi Arabia walked into the stadium with female athletes joining the fray for the first time at a Games. Brunei and Qatar also had female athletes marching for the first time. Photo: A very colourful Mexico team, being led by flagbearer Maria del Rosario Espinoza, enters the Olympic Stadium. (Reuters: Mike Blake) 8:29am: Russian tennis superstar Maria Sharapova leads her nation into the Olympic Stadium. Earlier this year Sharapova became only the 10th woman in history and sixth in the open era to complete a career Grand Slam by taking out the French Open. 8:22am: Here's our neighbours New Zealand, led by 1500m runner Nick Willis. Willis claimed the silver medal in the event in Beijing.

The ABC's Amanda Shalala is at Hyde Park, where there are thousands of people who missed out on tickets to the opening ceremony: 8:15am: ABC reporters Matt Wordsworth and Karen Barlow are filing for Online from the ground in London. Karen penned this on the opening ceremony while Matt's latest piece is on the USA Dream Team . 8:10am: This just in from the AOC Twitter account (@AusOlympicTeam): The Aussies look amazing having paraded around the Olympic Stadium. Bring on the Games! Hockeyroos striker Emily Hurtz (@misshurtz) also tweeted a pic of the ladies prior to the ceremony. 8:06am: Here's the fastest man on the planet and one of the stars of these Games, 100 metres world record holder Usain Bolt, carrying the flag for the mighty Jamaican outfit. The Jamaicans are wearing black tops with (really) bright yellow bottoms. 8:00am: We've posted a gallery of the opening ceremony: 7:58am: Aussie sailor Elise Rechichi says a performer let her play their drum .

Fellow sailor Krystal Weir (@krystalsailing) also tweeted a pic as she soaks up the atmosphere. 7:45am: The Czechs are wearing gum boots! Says Rechichi (@EliseRechichi): Czech team got the right idea! Gumboots! It is the uk afterall! 7:42am: Here's China - 7-foot-tall NBA basketballer Yi Jianlian is carrying the flag. Since China resumed Olympics participation in 1984 after an absence of three decades, all of its flagbearers have been male basketballers. Former Houston Rockets star Yao Ming had the honour at Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004. Another interesting tidbit - China has sent a team of 380 to the Games - smaller than Australia's 410. Meanwhile, ABC News 24 spoke with two Australians who performed in the opening ceremony: Video: A pair of lucky Aussies talk about performing in the ceremony (ABC News) 7:37am: We're going through the Bs - we've just seen Brazil, currently gearing up for the World Cup in two years time.

Meanwhile, the @Olympics Twitter account has posted a snap of the Aussies heading into the Olympic Stadium. 7:26am: And here's Australia! Flagbearer Lauren Jackson leads the team into the stadium and you'd never be able to wipe the beaming smile off her face. A significant roar from the crowd is heard in the background. The Aussies really do look resplendent in their uniforms - white slacks or skirts with bottle green jackets, the insides lined with the names of past gold medal winners. Video: Lauren Jackson's father Gary discusses his daughter's success (ABC News) 7:24am: Sailor Elise Rechichi on Twitter: Here we go! What could top this?! The heartache all of a sudden seems worthwhile! #nightofyourlife #proudtobeaussie pic.twitter.com/XEH6lM6j 7:20am: OK, here comes the first of our countries entering the stadium - Greece, as is tradition. They walk into Push the Button by English band The Chemical Brothers. 7:15am: We now hear the Christian hymn Abide With Me, sung at every FA Cup since 1927.

7:12am: Many of the athletes are watching the opening ceremony from the comfort of the athletes village, as seen here in this pic tweeted by swimmer Steph Rice (@itsstephrice). Diver Sharlene Stratton (@sharlenestratto) is doing the same: Watching the opening ceremony in the village! So freaking awesome! :) #2012Olympics #olympicceremony #aussiesarecoming 7:08am: Now we see Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the Briton credited with inventing the World Wide Web, sitting at a computer on stage, as Boyle comments on a progression from the industrial revolution to where we, as a world, sit now. That appears to be it for Boyle's show - spectacular. Photo: Fireworks fall from the Olympic rings during the opening ceremony. (Reuters: Suzanne Plunkett) 7:05am: British rapper Dizzee Rascal now appears on stage performing his hit Bonkers. The ridiculously fast pace of what Boyle has done here truly is a feast for the eyes. 7:02am: The British music montage continues - New Order and Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Eurythmics and The Prodigy.

Spectacular dancing accompanies all of these. Then we see an excerpt from Boyle's Trainspotting featuring the song Born Slippy by Underworld. 6:57am: We're hearing some of the classics of British rock now, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Sex Pistols, Cream, The Jam, The Kinks and Millie Small singing My Boy Lollipop. 6:52am: Boyle now incorporates a clever montage on the impact social media has had on the world. Indeed. We're into the third section of Boyle's show now: "It's very simple, it is a love story," he said in his earlier press conference. Photo: Actor Rowan Atkinson, playing Mr Bean, performs during the opening ceremony. (Reuters: Kai Pfaffenbach) 6:49am: Exclamations of "Mr Bean!" are exploding all over social media. There is now vision of Mr Bean among the blokes in the infamous running scene on the beach. He trails off to hop in a car, but later rejoins the front of the line.

He trips his nearest challenger over to cross the finish line a winner, before awaking from his dream and rejoining us on stage to 'finish off' the performance with his keyboard. Sir Simon looks on bemused. Says Aussie sailor Nic Douglass (@Nic_Douglass): #olympics loved the Mr Bean segment!! Classic! #openingceremony 6:47am: English conductor Sir Simon Rattle now appears to lead the London Symphony Orchestra in a rendition of Chariots of Fire. Goosebumps aplenty, this is wonderful. Mr Bean, aka Rowan Atkinson, appears on stage at a keyboard, much to the delight of the crowd (and no doubt many more around the world). He appears to be either taking photos, or possibly even tweeting, from his smart phone. 6:43am: Mike Oldfield of Tubular Bells fame now hammers out some tunes on his guitar on stage. Photo: Performers dressed as Mary Poppins take part in the opening ceremony. (Reuters: David Gray) 6:35am: We're now into the second phase of the extravaganza - celebrating the UK's National Health Service.

According to the London 2012 Twitter account (@London2012), almost all of the some 600 dancers in the section work for the NHS. This opening ceremony features over 15,000 volunteers, by the way. Kudos to them. 6:31am: Representatives of the Royal Army, Navy and Air Force now walk through the stadium with the Union flag, which is raised on a pole. The crowd is then asked to stand for the national anthem, God Save the Queen. It is performed by a children's choir wearing pyjamas (well, it is past their bedtime). 6:29am: The helicopter now appears over the stadium (although, amazingly, we've all of a sudden gone from daylight to dark) and 'the Queen' is shown parachuting from the chopper, followed by Mr Bond. Writes Aussie sailor Elise Rechichi (@EliseRechichi) on Twitter: Queen parachuting in?! Yikes! I hope she stretched prior! :) The real Queen walks out, accompanied by IOC president Jacques Rogge.

6:25am: Boyle delights the crowd now with vision of actor Daniel Craig, playing James Bond, entering Buckingham Palace to speak with the Queen. "Good evening Mr Bond," Her Royal Majesty says as she turns from writing at her desk. "Good evening your Majesty," Mr Bond replies. They strut out of the palace, followed by the Queen's corgi, and take off in a helicopter emblazoned with the Union Jack to travel across the city. 6:24am: The sequence ends and we now see the Olympic rings, glowing in red in the middle of the stadium, for the first time. A brilliant hoop of blue light rounds the stadium. Writes Aussie swimmer Eamon Sullivan (@Eamon_Sullivan): Great opening section of the ceremony... Getting goosebumps. 6:15am: Smoke stacks are rising out of the ground as Britain remembers the industrial revolution. Photo: Smoke stacks from the industrial age appear during the opening ceremony.

(Reuters: Damir Sagolj) 6:08am: After a video sequence celebrating all the countries of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland-born actor/director Sir Kenneth Branagh appears playing Isambard Kingdom Brunel, an English engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway. He has been voted the second greatest Briton of all time, behind Sir Winston Churchill. 6:03am: And here's Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins (minus his bike). He walks in to a standing ovation to ring the Olympic Bell. Wiggins is a freak, having won three gold, a silver and two bronze medals in track cycling across three Olympics before shifting to the road. Photo: Great Britain cyclist and 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins greets spectators after ringing the Olympic Bell. (Reuters: David Gray) 6:01am: Boyle is famous for films like Trainspotting and the initial opening sequence wouldn't look out of place in any cinema. Boyle earlier held a pre-ceremony press conference in which he revealed his extravaganza will be broken into three parts - the first of which he calls "The Green and Pleasant Land".

"It seems to me that the industrial revolution began here and changed the whole world really, for good and for bad, and there is no attempt to hide the fact. We call it Pandemonium, which is Milton's invented word for the capital of hell in Paradise Lost." The second part will be a celebration of universal health care. Boyle says Britain's National Health Service is almost unique in the world. "It is something that is very dear to people's hearts. Obviously all types of government fight like billio with it to try to control it, to cut it, to deal with it whatever, but there is something about it that is actually so embedded in us that we have decided to keep it." The ceremony's third sequence is a modern musical affair called "Frankie and June Say Thanks Tim". "We're very, very proud of the standard of the volunteer dancing in that sequence. It has been extraordinary watching them. It's very simple, it is a love story." Boyle says the ceremony should be "proudly baffling" and "hopefully charming". "You do the show for yourselves. You can't do it for the whole world. You know, you hope.

So I think some of the audience will be baffled at times, they are bound to be. But I hope it is only temporary and I hope it feels charming rather than really annoying." Photo: Performers act out a scene from ancient times during the opening ceremony. (Getty Images: Richard Heathcote) 6:00am: And the countdown is over! We're off and running. It's raining, surprise, surprise. 5:45am: UK betting has runner Roger Bannister and rower Steven Redgrave at the head of the list for the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron to officially open the Games of the XXX Olympiad. Queen Elizabeth and David Beckham are also among the favourites, together with James Bond. 5:40am: London becomes the first city to host the Olympics three times, following on from 1908 and 1948. Boyle has spent over $42 million on his opening ceremony, which will apparently feature Europe's largest bell.

5:30am: International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge earlier held a press conference where he said London is raring and ready to go: "In terms of readiness, these Games equal the readiness of Sydney and Beijing but the proof of the pudding is in the eating." 5:15am: We're 45 minutes out from the start of the ceremony and Britain's Royal Air Force aerobatic team, known as the Red Arrows, have just made a spectacular flyover of the Olympic precinct with plumes of red, white and blue smoke trailing behind them. Meanwhile, ABC reporters Rachael Brown and Peter Lewis spoke with some revellers prior to the start of the ceremony: Sorry, this video has expired Danny Boyle to direct London 2012 opening ceremony - News stories - GOV.UK Danny Boyle to direct London 2012 opening ceremony From: 2012 Olympic and Paralympic legacy This news article was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government Academy Award winner and British filmmaker Danny Boyle has been appointed to direct the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Academy Award winner and British filmmaker Danny Boyle has been appointed to direct the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Boyle will work with 4 specially selected British executive producers who will work across all 4 opening and closing ceremonies: Stephen Daldry, theatre and film director, producer, and three-time Academy Award nominated director; his films include Billy Elliott (which he later brought to the West End stage), The Hours and The Reader. Mark Fisher, who creates spectacular live entertainment such as concerts for Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and U2; he was also involved in the design of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Hamish Hamilton, a British TV producer, music video and award show director, who directed the 82nd Academy Awards Ceremony. Catherine Ugwu, Creative Director, producer of ceremonies, shows and festivals; she has been involved in the delivery of ceremonies at the Vancouver Winter Olympics and the Manchester Commonwealth Games. They will begin work immediately, developing creative content for the Ceremonies, that will demonstrate the UK’s creative talent to the world.

Up to one billion people watched the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games, and we can expect a similar level of interest in our Olympic opening ceremony on 27 July 2012. An Artistic Director for the Olympic Closing Ceremony and one for the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be appointed later this year. Share this page London 2012 Opening Ceremony: Danny Boyle biography - Telegraph Culture London 2012 Opening Ceremony: Danny Boyle biography Everything you need to know about the career of Danny Boyle, the man behind Slumdog Millionaire, who will direct the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony tonight. Director Danny Boyle Photo: AP 12:07PM BST 27 Jul 2012 Born: 20 October 1956, in Radcliffe, Lancashire, into an Irish Catholic family. Following a calling: At 14, Boyle wanted to transfer from his school to a seminary near Wigan, but a priest talked him out of it.

Boyle later said he was always meant to become a priest before taking up drama, and has likened directing to being a man of the cloth: "It’s basically the same job — poncing around, telling people what to think." Theatre: After attending Bangor University in Wales, Boyle joined Joint Stock Theatre Company. He then became artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs from 1982-5. From 1985-7 he was deputy director of the Royal Court Theatre. TV: Boyle also worked in television in the Eighties, producing Alan Clarke's controversial film drama Elephant, set during the Troubles, for BBC Northern Ireland in 1989. He also began directing shows for TV, including episodes of Inspector Morse. Boyle would later return to TV between his film work, directing two films for the BBC in 2001. Debut film: In 1994, Boyle directed his first feature film, Shallow Grave (released in 1995), a thriller starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Eccleston. It was well received and won Boyle the Best Newcomer Award from the 1996 London Film Critics Circle.

Related Articles 'No rows, just planning' 25 Jul 2012 Personal life: The director is know as an intensely private man where his personal life is concerned. He three children with ex-girlfriend Gail Stevens, who soil works as a casting director on his films. Boyle also revealed in 2009 that he remained close to his father, and the pair used to watch Bury football team play at the town’s Gigg Lane ground. His father died last year. Trainspotting: Boyle's film adaptation of the Irvine Welsh novel Trainspotting , which followed a group of friends and heroin addicts in Edinburgh, was a huge critical and commercial success. Ewan McGregor again starred, alongside Robert Carlyle and Johnny Lee Miller. John Hodge's screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award. Boyle reportedly convinced Welsh to let them option the rights to his book by writing him a letter stating that Hodge and producer Andrew Macdonald were "the two most important Scotsmen since Kenny Dalglish and Alex Ferguson". Further filmmaking: Boyle directed Ewan McGregor for a third time in A Life Less Ordinary (1997), then Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach (2000).

Zombie double: In 2002, Boyle tackled horror film 28 Days Later (2002). The plot follows the breakdown of society after the accidental release of a highly contagious "rage" virus. The film, along with 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, has been partly credited with revitalising the zombie sub-genre. Slumdog Millionaire: By far Boyle's most successful film project to date was 2008's Slumdog Millionaire, an adaptation of the Indian novel Q & A, by writer Vikas Swarup. The film depicts English actor Dev Patel as a young man from the Juhu slums of Mumbai who appears on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It won eight Oscars at the 2009 Academy Awards, and including Best Picture, and Best Director for Boyle. 127 Hours: Survival drama 127 Hours was Boyle's next feature film. It starred James Franco as real-life canyoneer Aron Ralston, who was trapped by a boulder and forced to amputate his own arm. The film earned two Oscar nominations, but failed to win.

Frankenstein: In 2011 Boyle returned to theatre, directing Frankenstein for the National Theatre. Olympic Ceremony: In June 2010 it was announced that Boyle would direct opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics at the new 80,000-seat Olympic stadium in Stratford. Boyle has again worked with A. R. Rahman, who provided the Oscar-winning score for Slumdog Millionaire, on the ceremony, entitled 'The Isles of Wonder'. London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony: Where to watch in NYC Where London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony: Where to watch in NYC Get off the couch and attend a costume party or viewing soiree with our guide to where to watch the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony in New York. By Jeremy Winograd Fri Jul 20 2012 Previous Photograph: Filip Wolak The Big Screen Plaza at the Eventi Hotel, seen here hosting Hester Nights, will transform into New York’s ultimate Olympic extravaganza.

Photograph: James Higgins Head to Smithfield, pictured, to watch a live feed of the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, beginning at 4pm, rather than waiting until NBC's tape-delayed coverage at 7:30pm like those working saps. One Stop Beer Shop hosts a costume contest for its 2012 Olympics opening ceremony shindig. Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson The scene at Standings during the Danny Boyle-directed 2012 Olympics opening ceremony when James Franco gets his arm trapped under the largest harmonically tuned bell in Europe and has to saw it off with a penknife to free himself. Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson Woodwork offer $3 drink specials for the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. Photograph: John Keenan The Churchill offers a chance to pregame the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony with a happy hour that runs from 4pm to 7pm. Next Photograph: Filip Wolak The Big Screen Plaza at the Eventi Hotel, seen here hosting Hester Nights, will transform into New York’s ultimate Olympic extravaganza.

The London games will begin in spectacular fashion with the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium in the Olympic Park on Friday, July 27, at 9pm GMT, or 4pm New York time. NBC will begin its network-TV tape-delayed coverage at 7:30pm. The ceremony is titled Isles of Wonder, with Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle providing the creative lead as artistic director, and promises the largest harmonically tuned bell in Europe and some sheep. We jest; it’s sure to be an awe-inspiring show—but will it be able to match the jaw-dropping kickoff in Beijing? Gather some friends, pick from our recommendations for where to watch the spectacle and watch the events unfold at one of these viewing parties for the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. Big Screen Plaza Perhaps New York’s ultimate Olympic extravaganza will take place in the courtyard behind the Eventi hotel in midtown. As the opening ceremony is projected on a 30-by-16-foot HD LED screen, comedians will provide Best in Show–esque commentary on the proceedings.

Before or after the procession of nations, busy yourself on the Astroturf-covered deck with a match of tug-of-war, arm wrestling, Ping-Pong, pool, badminton and other lawn games; run through a plethora of sprinklers to cool off; get a picture in the photo booth with Olympic-themed backgrounds handcrafted by Brooklyn artists; and munch on tasty treats from Hester Street Fair food vendors. The plaza plans to hold regular screenings throughout the duration of the Olympics; visit bigscreenplaza.com for details. 851 Sixth Ave, (at 30th St), 10001 Smithfield Free This three-floor pub will screen the opening ceremony live on all of its 21 TVs starting at 4pm, rather than waiting until later in the evening when NBC’s tape-delayed coverage begins. It’s a perfect excuse to cut out of work early. As are the Anglophile-friendly drink specials that run for the duration of live TV coverage, including Newcastle Brown Ale ($5), a Pimm’s cup ($6), and a Hendrick’s gin and tonic with cucumber slice ($6). Drink up, and you may find yourself beginning to reevaluate your allegiances whenever the U.S.

and the Brits go head-to-head. (212-564-2172, smithfieldnyc.com ) 215 W 28th St (between Seventh and Eighth Aves) One Stop Beer Shop Price band: 1/4 Kick off the Olympics with pageantry of your own. This beer-store-and-bar hybrid, which specializes in novel beer cocktails ($9, July 27 until 8pm $6) and pulled-pork sandwiches ($8) cooked in beer (notice a pattern?), will be holding a daylong event starting at noon, featuring an array of drink specials and a beer pong tournament. It all culminates after the opening ceremony—which will be screened on the bar’s flatscreen TV—with a costume contest. Come dressed as your favorite Olympian, past or present, and the guy or gal with the best getup wins the gold medal, a free growler and eternal Olympic glory (sort of). Check facebook.com/onestopbeershopny for more details.

134 Kingsland Ave, (at Beadel St) Standings Bar Free You’ll find all manner of supporters (even Red Sox fans) at this East Village stalwart, but come the Olympics, we’re all Americans. Especially when the food of champions is involved: pizza. Conveniently, the bar’s weekly free-pie special—offered Fridays at 8pm—coincides with the broadcast of the opening ceremony. The pizza is ordered in, and patrons on hand are encouraged to help themselves. Sip on a 72-ounce pitcher of one of the bar’s range of domestic microbrews ($20), while watching NBC’s coverage with sound on one of the eight HDTVs. (212-420-0671, standingsbar.com ) 43 E 7th St (between Second and Third Aves) Price band: 1/4 Critics choice This 2011 TONY Food & Drink Award nominee boasts wood-paneled decor and an untraditional classy menu for a sports bar, but it does have three 50-inch TVs that usually screen MLS and international soccer games.

On July 27, the televisions will be tuned to the broadcast of the opening ceremony. Settle in and toast the athletes with drink specials: a selection of $3 beers and shots of Evan Williams ($3). Come back over the following two weeks to watch soccer, badminton and other Olympic events. 583 Vanderbilt Ave, (at Dean St) The Churchill Price band: 2/4 Another option for those wishing they could be in London for this year’s games is this English tavern, which will show the opening ceremony on its eight HDTVs. The London 2012 Happy Hour (Fri 27 4–7pm) features cocktails made especially for the occasion, such as the gin-based High Jump ($10). Return during the games to try a specially commissioned ice cream from the London Candy Company. Plus, anytime the Brits take home a gold medal, all patrons in the bar will receive a surprise treat.

(Hint: It’s not a random drug test.) 45 E 28th St, (between Madison and Park Aves) Danny Boyle to direct 2012 Olympics opening ceremony - BBC News BBC News Danny Boyle to direct 2012 Olympics opening ceremony 17 June 2010 Close share panel Image caption Boyle (second left) said he was "really excited" by his appointment Oscar-winning film-maker Danny Boyle will be artistic director for the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, organisers have announced. The Slumdog Millionaire director said he was "honoured" by his appointment. Boyle said it was a "unique opportunity to contribute to what I'm sure are going to be a fantastic Games." Director Stephen Daldry is one of four other "creatives" who will oversee the Olympic and Paralympic Games' opening and closing ceremonies. Beijing 2008 Games designer Mark Fisher, TV director Hamish Hamilton and producer Catherine Ugwu will also be part of the team.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Boyle, who was born and bred in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, said his job was "to provide a thrilling, enthralling, captivating evening." "Hopefully it'll take its place in the list of openings, but it'll be a new beginning as well." Image caption Stephen Daldry (far right) is one of the ceremonies' four executive producers Myself and my co-executive producers will ensure there is creative continuity across all four ceremonies, that the public have real engagement and that we continue to attract into key roles the best talent in the world," said Daldry. "I'm delighted to be part of the team." "These Games are bringing together world-class British talent," said Lord Coe, chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). "Each one of these individuals would hold their own on the worldwide stage. "They are joining names like children's author Michael Morpurgo who has created the story behind our highly successful mascots.

"We are delighted with the team we have brought together to deliver our ceremonies in 2012." 'International calibre' Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, said: "The opening and closing ceremonies are the jewels in the crown of any Olympics and Paralympics and are one of the benchmarks against which all games are judged. "I am very pleased that British directors and producers of such outstanding international calibre and acclaim have given their backing to London 2012. "With their creativity and expertises on board, I'm sure that London's showpiece events will make Britain proud." His sentiments were echoed by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who said the "brilliant" team had brought together "some of the most imaginative people in the world". Image caption Danny Boyle's films include The Beach, Slumdog Millionaire and 28 Days Later "The work they have produced over the years has been quite extraordinary, with an impact not just in the UK, but also on the international stage," he said.

"They exemplify some of the greatest attributes we have - creativity, vision, and intelligence - which will be critical to ensuring shows that are as stunning as they are uniquely British." 3 Mills Studios in East London will be the production centre for the London 2012 Ceremonies. Boyle began his career in theatre before moving into television and movies like Shallow Grave, The Beach and 28 Days Later. This winter the 53-year-old will make his National Theatre debut directing a new production of Frankenstein. Zhang Yimou, China's most famous filmmaker, directed the opening ceremony for the Beijing Games in 2008. Olympics 2012 Opening Ceremony: Music Hits, Misses Include Punk, Paul and Syria's Ill-Timed March to 'Where the Streets Have No Name' | Hollywood Reporter July 28, 2012 4:01am PT by Shirley Halperin Olympics 2012 Opening Ceremony: Music Hits, Misses Include Punk, Paul and Syria's Ill-Timed March to 'Where the Streets Have No Name' What did the London 2012 kickoff get right and where did it go woefully wrong?

THR assesses the Danny Boyle-directed spectacle's soundtrack. A $40 million production budget bought the London 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony one heck of a spectacle, but when it came to the soundtrack, the event’s musical choices left some watching at home -- and commenting online -- a little miffed. To be fair, encapsulating five-plus decades of British music is no small task, but how do you explain a minuscule nod to Led Zeppelin? Where was Robbie Williams? The Police? Depeche Mode? Even the ever-reliable Sir Elton John, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II herself, seemed embarrassingly absent. And what, was Cheryl Cole busy on Friday night? PHOTOS: Going for Gold: Portraits of Famous Former Olympians Then again, the Danny Boyle-directed show had some curious nods as well -- most notably, a wink-wink to Her Majesty with a snippet of Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen,” one of two songs highlighted by the short-lived punk band, and the surprising inclusion of The Jam’s “Going Underground.” What did the ceremony get right and where did it go woefully wrong?

Read on for THR ’s assessment of the musical hits and misses -- and don’t even get us started on those Team USA berets… Hits: Punk gets its due … sort of. Knowing that the anthemic “Pretty Vacant” was within earshot of British royalty is reason enough to bow down to Boyle, and while punk was but a blip in the program (The Clash’s “London Calling” is an obligatory inclusion at this point, but the Specials' “A Message to You Rudy” was pleasantly unexpected), the Olympics gets points for balls. (Credit is also deserved for including new wavers Duran Duran and OMD, the sometimes controversial MIA and Prodigy, the respected New Order, East London native Dizzee Rascal and the late Amy Winehouse, who died a year ago this week.) Britain bows to Bowie: A highlight of the parade of nations is always the host country, but for London 2012, Great Britain couldn’t have picked a better song to march to.

David Bowie’s “Heroes” said in eight words what eight years of tireless training has signified to the 500-plus athletes competing for the U.K., making the 1977 hit not only poignant but wholly appropriate. PHOTO: Olympics Opening Ceremony: James Bond and the Queen Meet, Parachute Into the Stadium Paul McCartney brings it home: There’s nothing like a Beatle to close a show that’s being beamed to billions while also spreading the Olympic ideal of “all you need is love.” Sir Paul delivered on both fronts, even if he did fudge “Hey Jude” a bit with an unexpected laugh. Dream of a song… The lighting of the cauldron featured perhaps the most moving moment and music of the night. "Caliban's Dream," performed by Alex Trimble, frontman for Irish band Two Door Cinema Club, and written for the ceremony by Rick Smith of Underworld provided an ethereal end to a dreamy procession. Fireworks. Floyd. Need we say more?

All of the bells: Among the most impressive acts to usher in London 2012 was one that didn’t take place in the stadium, but rather, around the country where churches and citizens all rang bells simultaneously (some simply banging on pots and pans), creating a magical cacophony of chimes to mark the start of the Games. The sonic experiment was a popular topic on Twitter, where a few audiophiles even posted their own recordings of the moment (listen below): Misses: Arctic comedown: Sure, there are plenty of bands that Brits obsess over who are only marginally known in the States -- your Kasabian, the aforementioned Robbie Williams, Tinie Tempah -- but of all the artists at Boyle’s disposal, were the Arctic Monkeys really the best choice for a Beatles cover? To their credit, the “faithful rendition,” as Bob Costas described their take on “Come Together,” delivered -- that’s when you could hear it.

As one viewer tweeted, “Hey Bob Costas, if the Arctic Monkeys is your favorite part, why do you insist on talking over the entire performance?” A very brief history of British music: No doubt much will be said about the bands and artists who didn’t make the cut for reasons unknown. Among the glaring omissions: Rod Stewart, Dusty Springfield, Def Leppard, The Cure, George Michael, The Smiths, Black Sabbath, we could go on. Still, some took comfort in small blessings: like no Spice Girls. Marching madness: The Hollywood Reporter's own David Rooney said it best when he questioned the logic of pairing the Bee Gees with athletes from Fiji – wondering if it was in essence some Olympic Committee stoner’s attempt at a haiku. Other country-artist pairings also didn’t seem to make much sense -- China with the Pet Shop Boys, Poland with Fleetwood Mac, U2 with Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey and the ill-timed “Where the Streets Have No Name” while Syria made its entrance.

Everyone’s a critic: Inevitably, there will be those who poo-poo everything, even a beloved Beatle -- “No one can ever accuse Paul McCartney of lip-synching at the Olympics,” read one snarky comment on Twitter -- but it’s precisely in hashtag times like these when we should be thankful another nasty Brit hasn’t made his Olympic presence known. As Daily Show executive producer Rory Alabenese tweeted: Somewhere Simon Cowell is sitting in a black V-neck drinking bourbon from a coca-cola cup, saying, "this is dreadful" #2012LondonOlympics Underworld's brief to 'frighten people' at the London 2012 opening ceremony | Music | The Guardian Underworld Underworld's brief to 'frighten people' at the London 2012 opening ceremony Rick Smith of techno duo Underworld reveals how they tackled the soundtrack to the London Olympics opening ceremony – and how it left him with an 'absolutely beautiful feeling' Rick Smith (right) and Karl Hyde of Underworld: directed the music for the Olympic opening ceremony.

Photograph: LOCOG Underworld Underworld's brief to 'frighten people' at the London 2012 opening ceremony Rick Smith of techno duo Underworld reveals how they tackled the soundtrack to the London Olympics opening ceremony – and how it left him with an 'absolutely beautiful feeling' Thursday 2 August 2012 15.00 EDT First published on Thursday 2 August 2012 15.00 EDT Share on Messenger Close The contrast between this summer's two uber-spectaculars – the diamond jubilee concert and the Olympics opening ceremony – couldn't be starker. At the former, Gary Barlow produced a musical vision for austerity Britain where geriatric crooners rubbed shoulders with talent-show alumni at the end of the Mall. Madness were the risky prospect. At the latter, something far more radical happened. The floor of the Olympic stadium was torn asunder to the sound of thundering techno and the Queen watched as the union flag was hoisted to a record by one half of Fuck Buttons.

Later, Team GB were afforded the most dignified and electrifying entrance possible accompanied by David Bowie's Heroes – a record that resonated like a national anthem beamed from an alternate universe. Danny Boyle made a shrewd choice when he approached the electronic duo Underworld to offer the job of soundtracking Isles of Wonder, the opening ceremony show. It was a move calculated to make the nearly four-hour stage production peerless. "From the very first meeting," says Rick Smith, musical director for Underworld , "Danny was determined to 'break the curse' that accompanied shows of that scale. If there were elements that made us laugh or things that we loved for whatever reason, we kept them. We threw the supposed rulebook out, avoided the rubbish." Smith's relationship with Boyle extends back to the mid 90s, when the director approached Underworld about using a little known B-side (Born Slippy: Nuxx) as part of the soundtrack to his second movie, Trainspotting. So inspired by their music was the director, he had originally cut the film to the band's debut LP Dubnobasswithmyheadman.

When released as a single in the movie's slipstream, Born Slippy: Nuxx sold more than 750,000 copies in the UK. Following further contributions to the Beach and the sci-fi film Sunshine, Boyle called on the band to create an enveloping soundscape for 2011's National Theatre production of Frankenstein. "As the play ended, Danny called saying he wanted to talk about the opening ceremony. I headed to the meeting thinking I'd turn it down. Frankenstein was a struggle, if I'm honest; it wasn't the kind of workload I'm used to. Within a minute and a half of being in the meeting, I said: "I'm in. Yes, please." And that was down to Danny. Working with him, I saw what Frank Cottrell Boyce [Isles of Wonder's writer] describes as Danny's 'courageous faith in human nature'. He'd asked me so he must have thought I could do it." Soon after Smith's appointment as musical director in the summer of 2011, it was clear that the show's music was fundamental.

" Frank talked in the Observer about the galvanising effect that the music had on the team and I definitely had a sense very quickly that sound was an ingredient that – if I got it right – was going to gel lots of disparate elements. As for trying to work out what music would go in … what would most people do given that scenario? They'd say: 'Let's tick some boxes.' But then you end up getting overwhelmed by all those boxes that need ticking. Our culture is so, so rich; you can't even begin to tick those boxes. So you look for defining moments and you follow your heart." "I started on the Pandemonium section in June 2011 when the band was touring. Danny wanted to frighten people. He was certain that by the end, people had to be going: 'Christ, you can't possibly do that to us for the next three hours.' All the way along, he'd leave you with a sentence like that. That's the kind of direction that leaves you empowered." One listen to And I Will Kiss – the score for Pandemonium – and you hear Underworld in RealD.

It's a techno band afforded access to Abbey Road studio 2, Dame Evelyn Glennie , the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, the London Symphony Orchestra and 1,000 volunteer drummers; 17 minutes of gloriously euphoric controlled chaos. Initial conversations around the arrival of the Olympic torch – the section subtitled Caliban's Dream – were similarly driven more by emotional response than musical style. "Frank and Danny put forward beautiful, transcendental poems by people like WH Auden, Thomas Nash, Philip Larkin. They set the tone for Caliban's Dream. Very early on Danny encouraged me not to think in terms of Eye of the Tiger for the final stages; we weren't looking for anything testosterone-fuelled. Those poetic ideas that we had talked about initially just seemed so beautiful; we wanted to draw them in to the story of the torch. Karl [Hyde, Smith's partner in Underworld] spent a long time working with those words to make them flow, helping avoid all the possible cliches we could fall prey to." On the night, Smith watched the show unfold from a control room. "I spent the night cueing volunteers.

I finally went to find my family when the athlete's parade started, figuring everything was beyond my control by then. That was a nice feeling. I had about 20 minutes shouting and cheering before I left to head back inside for the last section. On the way, I thought I'd nip out for a quick cigarette. As I was wandering outside, I heard over the Tannoy "Zimbabwe" and I thought, "Z … Z … oh shit that's the last country before Team GB!" I sprinted back in, arriving just as Heroes came on to see the place just explode. I ran halfway round the stadium to get to the control room. When I fell inside, we just started screaming our heads off like kids, singing along so badly. It was a moment of total and utter joy." With the Games in full swing, Smith is allowing himself some headspace for the first time in more than two decades. "I don't know what I'm doing next. It should be scary but it's an absolutely beautiful feeling," he says, laughing. "Many years ago, I had dreams about being in a band and playing a stadium. And I did in 1989: we did with Eurythmics.

That experience was such a bitter disappointment, my world fell apart. This was entirely the opposite. I couldn't ever have dreamt it. And it came true. How does that happen?" Robin Turner: Those who dismiss the British dance duo as stadium techno haven't been paying attention. Their ambitious projects make them a perfect fit for the Olympics opening ceremony Published: 7 Dec 2011

Question: Who directed the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics?
Answer: Danny Boyle